Montco and Bucks County hospitals urge vaccines as we could be in for a severe flu season
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Flu shots and COVID boosters are just what doctors are ordering this fall as the flu season is expected to be bad and hospitals in Bucks and Montgomery counties are stretched thin from more than two years of dealing with the ongoing pandemic.
"This flu season has the potential to be severe, so we are encouraging Pennsylvanians to get their flu shot and COVID-19 booster together to keep our communities safe," said Dr. Denise Johnson, Pennsylvania's physician general and state health department acting secretary. "Influenza is serious and can be deadly, which is why it is important that Pennsylvanians receive their flu vaccine."
Medical experts are pounding that message as data shows that not everyone is heeding the advice. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases issued a survey showing that 69% agree that annual flu vaccination is the best preventive measure against flu-related deaths and hospitalizations but only 49% plan to get a flu vaccine this season.
Hospitals face staffing issues
The severe flu season arrives as hospitals nationwide, including in Bucks and Montgomery counties, are seeing an uptick in respiratory infections in children, some of whom need to be hospitalized.
With staffing concerns continuing following the COVID pandemic, the hospitals also are urging people to take flu and COVID precautions seriously, including masking in crowded places, staying home when sick and disinfecting frequently used objects that could carry viruses.
Doylestown Hospital has diagnosed a total of eight cases of influenza, including six of type A and two of type B, since Aug.1, with one person, a child, being admitted, said Dr. Brenda Foley, medical director of the Emergency Department and president of the hospital medical staff.
"Anecdotally, it seems that we are seeing an uptick in total number of pediatric respiratory virus cases in the ED, including RSV (respiratory synchtial virus)," Foley said. National Public Radio reported Tuesday that RSV cases are up nationally this fall.
"As for staffing…yes, we continue to be plagued with national shortages. It’s a significant challenge," Foley said.
COVID and influenza have similar symptoms
Dr. David Damsker, director of the Bucks County Department of Health, said the county should be ready for an active flu season.
"We are not yet in peak flu season. You’re likely going to see an uptick in flu cases this year ― closer to traditional flu seasons ― as most people are no longer taking the type of precautions we saw under COVID, like social distancing or masking," he said.
Damsker said that both COVID and influenza can cause similar symptoms but there are differences.
"Influenza and COVID are totally different viruses, both spread person to person through infected droplets, with COVID somewhat more contagious," he said. "They both often present with similar symptoms (fever, fatigue, and sore throat.) With the flu, differentiating symptoms may include a dry cough, while COVID is more likely to be a runny nose. "
Vaccines and flu shots, the state Department of Health pointed out, protect against the viruses and can make symptoms less severe for those who do get sick. And the updated COVID-19 boosters provide protection against the original virus strain as well as the Omicron variant and newer subvariants BA4 and BA5.
The state recommends that people get vaccinated before the end of October since it takes about two weeks to develop antibodies to the viruses. Damsker said that Bucks County doesn't have flu clinics because flu shots are readily available at doctor's offices, pharmacies and grocery stores.
Hospitals are also making preparations for the flu season, especially as staffing issues are concerns.
At Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, nurses and allied staff who are members of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP) voted Wednesday to authorize a strike over staffing shortages and safety issues. A strike date has not been set.
At St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown, Rob Bozek, co-president of the St. Mary Nurses Union, which is affiliated with PASNAP, said that there is an ongoing shortage of nurses at area hospitals because of baby boomers retiring. The pandemic also drove out some nurses.
St. Mary's offered its nurses wage increases in May on top of those won in contract negotiations and it has helped with recruitment and retention, Bozek said. The hospital has a new "shared governance" policy that brings nurses into decision making. "We're working more amicably," he said.
"You keep adding Band-Aids but you want to solve the problem," he said. "Our ultimate goal is patient safety."
Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol Township has an Emergency Operations Team that communicates daily and has weekly meetings and includes physicians, senior leadership, nursing, quality control, infection control, facilities, human resources, employee health and information technology employees, said Michelle Aliprantis, spokeswoman for the hospital.
"Currently, we are monitoring our census closely and we have backup plans ready if our census goes up. Appropriate resources of staff, clinical partners, space, and supplies have been allocated to meet the needs of our patients. Adjustments will be made as necessary in accordance with CDC protocols," Aliprantis said.
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia offers a website where parents or guardians can check out illness symptoms to help them decide if they need to take a child to their pediatrician or an urgent care. And they advise parents to be patient as more children need to be seen during the cold and flu season. But foremost, they urge parents to have their children up to date on their vaccines.
Dr. John Russell, chair of the department of Family Medicine at Jefferson Abington Hospital, said that the threat of a significant flu season this year is based on what happened in the Southern Hemisphere over their cold summer months. Australia had severe influenza and reported 288 deaths this year, compared to none in 2021.
He said that measures taken to deal with the COVID virus, like wearing masks and working from home or staying home when sick helped to alleviate flu cases last year by preventing spread of infection. If people let down their guard this year, both COVID and flu cases will go up. The hospital is requiring staff to be vaccinated to help protect everyone.
Strep throat also can cause a sore throat with fever but Russell said he hasn't seen much of that yet this year as it's more of a wintertime ailment. He said one way to tell the difference between flu and COVID is that flu patients don't usually lose their sense of smell whereas COVID patients can lose taste and smell.
"Abington would encourage everyone to get a flu vaccine," he said. And he pointed out that researchers still don't know if there could be a "twindemic," when both COVID and flu cases would rise. "I'm hopeful we can weather the storm," he said.
Rep. Davis hosts flu and COVID vaccination clinic
State Rep. Tina Davis, D-Bucks, will hold a free flu shot and COVID booster clinic from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 at her district office, 4530 New Falls Road.
The shots are provided by Acme Markets Pharmacy.
“The Department of Health has warned Pennsylvanians that this flu season could be severe,” Davis said. “I’m want to help protect our residents from the flu and COVID, so I am again this year hosting a free flu shot and COVID booster clinic at my district office.”
Call Davis’ office at 267-580-2660 for an appointment.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Hospitals in Bucks and Montgomery prepare to weather severe flu season
